Another awesome US immigration experience • Hacker News Board

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#211

Post by jwr » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 3:44 PM UTC

yardie wrote: post #208

jwr wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, United States citizenship doesn't necessarily solve the problem. I have a dual citizenship, so I can compare entry procedures. I was always baffled when US immigration asks me questions about what work I do or where I'm headed when I'm entering the country. I couldn't see how it was any of their business. In most (if not all) of the EU, an immigration officer being presented a native passport has exactly tw…

I also get this as US Citizen and there is nothing stopping you from entering the US except your patience. You could refuse to answer and then be detained for further interrogation. but eventually they'll have to let you go. Most people, myself included, have an event to attend or plane to catch so we answer to get it over with, quickly. One time I was going to a wedding and I didn't know where it was because my fami…

If this is indeed the case (I heard otherwise, scary stories about the legal immigration gray area, but don't have the time to hunt down relevant URLs at the moment), then why do people put up with this sort of harrassment?

I mean, the land of the free, and all that — and border guards tell you to go to a payphone to get the address of the place you're going to? This just doesn't make sense.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#212

Post by X-Istence » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 4:30 PM UTC

adrianmsmith wrote: post #125

DrSbaitso wrote: post #34

I'm a Canadian citizen and get this type of treatment all the time. Every time I enter the US, which is about once a month or so, they send me to a back room for secondary screening. The reason? Their system thinks I overstayed my visa once back in 1995. What actually happened was my family took a road trip to New England, and nobody bothered to check our passports on the way out, so there was no departure record. So…

Over the years, I guess you've tried various different approaches talking to the staff at immigration. Friendly, apologetic, assertive, and so on. What worked best? What would you recommend for someone else in that situation?

For me personally, I am friendly. Ask how their day is, ask how busy it has been, depending on the time of year happy new year ... and small talk about the area.

Last guy I had when coming into the US used to be a software developer as well (Fortran, Cobol, and Pascal) and was interested in what kind of work I was doing.

Haven't had an issue yet. I am on a green card, and even-though all my paperwork is in order I still find myself nervous while waiting to enter the US. Also, the whole fingerprinting/picture taking makes me angry and I feel like I am being treated like a prisoner rather than a tax paying citizen.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#213

Post by X-Istence » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 4:42 PM UTC

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #161

iloveponies wrote: post #2

So I've experienced something similar minus the overcrowded room with British immigration. I watched the immigration official turn from apathy the moment I handed my passport over into passive agression with loaded questions ("When was the last time you were deported?" answer: "never") into apologies ("Sorry for making you wait sir there clearly has been a misunderstanding") to vague answers to the question of future…

British immigration are as bad as US immigration. They aren't even polite, which as a Brit' myself I am both shocked and disappointed with. I'd like to see changes there...

Until you Brits do away with the requirement for me to go through the porno scanners I refuse to visit the country. Sorry, but just because I am traveling from your country doesn't mean I want to go through a machine that to date still hasn't been verifiable been tested by a 3rd party to not have negative health risks associated with it.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#214

Post by halostatue » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 4:43 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #18

As long as you feel the benefits outweigh the downsides the only person you can complain to is yourself. You're still going there aren't you? I've had an episode quite comparable to this one and it was the last time I visited the US. I don't bitch about it, I don't begrudge the border guards their jobs or attitude (I assume they get a lot of shit heaped on them every day, not an excuse for a non-professional attitude…

As a U.S. expat, I can only agree with you. I emigrated to Canada fourteen years ago…and I don't ever see moving back for any reason whatsoever. I visit, because I have family there, but I don't enjoy it.

I'm happy here—happier than I ever was in the U.S., and much happier than I think I could be under the current U.S. political system and polarization. There are only a few places that I could see living in the U.S., in any case, and I don't like any of them enough to move from Toronto.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#215

Post by X-Istence » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 4:46 PM UTC

jwr wrote: post #123

mdasen wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand the argument you're making. From the perspective of the United States, they don't need to care unless it adversely affects the United States. As such, the US can make whatever immigration it wants and it writes its own destiny and people can take it or leave it much like many offerings we see in life from companies, other people, etc. If a company is putting onerous conditions on its product, we'll switc…

Actually, United States citizenship doesn't necessarily solve the problem. I have a dual citizenship, so I can compare entry procedures. I was always baffled when US immigration asks me questions about what work I do or where I'm headed when I'm entering the country. I couldn't see how it was any of their business. In most (if not all) of the EU, an immigration officer being presented a native passport has exactly tw…

I love entering my home country, NL. I hand my passport over, the agent looks at it for 5 seconds, hands it back to me with a smile and welcomes me home.

No fingerprinting, no taking pictures, no questions as to what I am doing or where I am going or how long I plan on staying, or what work I do. Nothing. A smile and a welcome home.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#216

Post by iloveponies » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 4:50 PM UTC

X-Istence wrote: post #213

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

British immigration are as bad as US immigration. They aren't even polite, which as a Brit' myself I am both shocked and disappointed with. I'd like to see changes there...

Until you Brits do away with the requirement for me to go through the porno scanners I refuse to visit the country. Sorry, but just because I am traveling from your country doesn't mean I want to go through a machine that to date still hasn't been verifiable been tested by a 3rd party to not have negative health risks associated with it.

As someone who goes in and out of the UK on a regular basis, this is news to me as I've yet to be subjected to full body scanners.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#217

Post by X-Istence » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 4:55 PM UTC

iloveponies wrote: post #216

X-Istence wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Until you Brits do away with the requirement for me to go through the porno scanners I refuse to visit the country. Sorry, but just because I am traveling from your country doesn't mean I want to go through a machine that to date still hasn't been verifiable been tested by a 3rd party to not have negative health risks associated with it.

As someone who goes in and out of the UK on a regular basis, this is news to me as I've yet to be subjected to full body scanners.

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/no-optou...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca6c8bd4-142b-11e1-b07b-00144feabd...

http://www.prisonplanet.com/despite-eu-ban-uk-makes-radiatio...

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#218

Post by mahyarm » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 5:13 PM UTC

krluna wrote: post #204

mahyarm wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No offense, but your post (like many others) just sounds like someone who is upset that were inconvenienced for a day. If you have all of your papers sorted out (and nothing is fishy), what's so mentally anguishing about having to wait? It's not just 'waiting'. The problem is every time you cross the border there is the very real chance that the mistaken opinion of a border guard would cost you job and your ability…

I am trying to sympathize but I agree 100%. You seem to be complaining about being inconvenienced for a few hours as a result of your inability to be on-point with your profession for the few seconds that it matters most during your re-entry to the country. The world is full NOT bright people. You can't really expect them to know the difference between software and web developer. You just need to solve for that and m…

I did not write the article. It's not about being 'inconvenienced', it is entirely about the incorrect opinion of a border guard causing you to lose your job, income and whatever personal connections you have established in the USA even if you have been doing everything correctly.

Typically you have to pay for these 'inconveniences' with another flight (that you pay for), immigration lawyers and so on if it gets really bad. There is a complete power imbalance in that situation and due process, if any, is minimal at most border crossings. ANY record of shit going wrong at the border will result in you getting extra attention EVERY time you cross.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#219

Post by baltcode » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 5:30 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #78

mdasen wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand the argument you're making. From the perspective of the United States, they don't need to care unless it adversely affects the United States. As such, the US can make whatever immigration it wants and it writes its own destiny and people can take it or leave it much like many offerings we see in life from companies, other people, etc. If a company is putting onerous conditions on its product, we'll switc…

If you feel like levelling the playing field a bit with respect to your accidents of birth then I'm quite sure that those countries would be happy to strike you from their registers if you asked nicely. On the other hand, since you were given this for free and it wasn't your fault you might as well enjoy the privilege. Personally I think all immigration controls should be abolished. The world will be hell for about a…

I think the problem is that some (most?) people are born with a disadvantage, not that the he has some advantages. I don't see how giving anything up is going to do any good.

Re: Another awesome US immigration experience

#220

Post by dkokelley » Mon, Jan 07, 2013, 5:36 PM UTC

philwelch wrote: post #166

dkokelley wrote: post #85

I would not want to be a non-citizen in America. I love my country, but I agree with the general sentiment that we have things very wrong when it comes to treatment of non-citizens. I believe that much of it stems from fears about 9/11. The Bill of Rights does lots to protect US citizens from an agressive/repressive government. The spirit of the law is that there are basic human rights that the government can't remov…

Perhaps when entering the country, and there is a risk of deportation, and the difficulty of immigrating legally puts far too many people on unsafe footing due to the constant risk of being reported, but on a basic, everyday level you have the same rights. If you get pulled over on the road, the cop can't search your car without a warrant, whether you're a US citizen or just a tourist.

This is true, but I would argue that it's only true because of the assumption that random driver being pulled over is a citizen (or rather that you can't ask a citizen if he or she is a citizen. This was part of the big deal with Arizona's new laws a year or two ago).

When writing my post, I was considering the "unlimited detainment", and lack of due process for non-citizens in too many special cases.